On October 14, 1979, ten years after the Stonewall riots, more than 100,000
people from the United States and ten other countries marched on Washington,
D.C. for lesbian and gay rights. Pacifica producers in Washington recorded
speeches and actualities from the rally, and parts were broadcast live. This
second set in the series consists of four reels of actualities from the rally
after the Pacifica broadcast was done airing. These reels were previously
cataloged as KZ0754.03, KZ0754.04, KZ0754.05, and KZ0754.06.
KZ0754.02A starts with Holly Near, JT Thomas and Meg Christian performing
"There's something about the women" (begins midway through the song) and a
rendition of "We are a gentle angry people." A female announcer (not named)
speaks about money and solicits donations from the audience. Holly Near then
performs "Over the rainbow." Ray Hill from Houston, TX talks about
incarceration of gay men and lesbians and introduces the Reverend Dr. Charles
Law. Law speaks on how "integration, and not assimilation" is the main
challenge for gay activism in the 1980s. Hill then introduces Paula Gunn
Allen from the American Indian Gay Movement, who speaks on how she represents
the people with the longest gay history in the Western hemisphere. Allen
Ginsberg reads his poem "Song" and sends a warning to Congress, and Peter
Orlovsky reads "Someone liked me when I was twelve." KZ0754.02B begins with
Ray Hill introducing Juanita Ramos and Armando Gaetan, representing Third
World gays and lesbians (Ramos speaks in English and then Gaetan summarizes
the speech in Spanish). Congressional Representatives Ted Weiss (D-NY) and
Phil Burton (D-CA) speak briefly. Hill makes some brief announcements and
then another female announcer introduces the disco band Gotham who perform
"(I'm your) AC/DC man." Lucia Valeska from the National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force speaks. Audre Lorde speaks about the necessity to address racism,
classism and sexism in the LGBT movement. BlackBerri speaks briefly and
performs his song "Eat the rich." KZ0754.02C starts with Hill making more
announcements, then introduces Tom Robinson who sings "Glad to be gay" and
"Stand together." Howard Wallace, who organized the boycott of Coors, speaks
on behalf of the gay labor movement. Kate Millett, author of Sexual Politics,
speaks about the "threat" of gay love. More announcements, then Florynce
"Flo" Kennedy is brought on stage and sings "Nothing could be sweeter than to
find out that Anita [Bryant] is a lesbian" with a chorus, and then addresses
the crowd. KZ0754.02D begins with Margo Carl from Lambda Legal speaking about
violence towards and incarceration of LGBT people. Anthony Sullivan, one of
the first same-sex marriage applicants in the US, speaks about LGBT people
and immigration law. Reverend John Kuiper, the first gay man to adopt a child
in the US, speaks about his case. Sandy Schuster and Madeleine Isaacson,
lesbian mothers, speak of their struggles. Supervisor Harry Britt from San
Francisco speaks about Harvey Milk. The final speaker of the day is Arthur
McCombs of the Gay Atheist League of America, who decries religion as the
source of gay oppression.
Notes
RESTRICTED. Please contact the Pacifica Radio Archives if you wish to use any portion of this recording in any published work or performance. Permissions, licensing requests, and all other inquiries should be directed in writing to: Pacifica Radio Archives c/o Archives Director, 3729 Cahuenga Blvd. West, North Hollywood, CA 91604, 800-735-0230 x 263, fax 818-506-1084, info AT pacificaradioarchives.org, http://www.pacificaradioarchives.org. The Pacifica Radio Archives will honor all takedown requests in compliance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and other applicable intellectual copyright laws. Claimants are advised to leave detailed contact information including name, telephone number, e-mail address, and/or physical address where they may be reached, as well as all information pertaining to the specific nature of the complaint. The preservation of these tapes was funded by a grant from the National Historic Publications and Records Commission. Preservation services provided by George Blood Audio and Video.